Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkM
The great tip was this: To refill the coolant (after plugs are re-installed!), first disconnect the end of the large radiator/coolant hose at the top of the radiator, and fill as much 50/50 mix as it will take by pouring into the hose. Note that this allows you to fill engine block "behind" thermostat. Then reconnect the hose, and then fill as much as you can into the radiator by pouring into the expansion tank...this fills in "front" of the thermostat.
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This works fine on pretty much any MB engine, and will speed the fill process. Otherwise you have to fill slowly, with liquid getting to the top of the reservoir neck, to get liquid to flow through the vent line to the block. It's slow and painful. DO NOT start the car until you can feel liquid present in the upper radiator hose when you squeeze it! Turning the heater to "max" temp will turn on the auxiliary coolant pump, which will help circulate coolant through the heater core, even with the engine off (key must be on).
Here is the factory procedure - the location of the OM60x block drain is shown on the last page:
http://w124-zone.com/downloads/MB%20CD/W124/w124CD1/Program/Maintenance/My81/2080.pdf
Ideally, you should drain block & radiator with a cold engine, then with the upper radiator hose and heater core inlet hose (near brake booster) disconnected, insert a garden hose (on low/medium flow) run through the radiator, block, and heater core with all drains open. This will flush ~99% of the old stuff out. Remove hose, wait for the water to stop flowing out the drains, then close everything up and re-fill with your preferred percentage of MB antifreesze or Zerex G-05. If you measured what drained out, you should be able to get that same amount (or within 1 quart of that amount) back in
before re-starting the engine. Top off as needed after a test drive with heater running; best to wait until the next morning so you're adding to a cold engine. Watch the level for the next few days until it, uh, levels out.
